Since my last blog I have got to Hanoi, Vietnam. I met with Sophie and Alex and we booked the bus the day after I went tubing. I felt terrible! But in my defence I didnt know that I was booking it until about 8pm by which time tubing and buckets had got the better of me.

After a drama free day tubing we got a tuk tuk back to the hostel where I met a couple on their honeymoon and persuaded them to come to Q Bar. It turns out they live about 5 mins from me at home and we have a mutual friend from Plymouth. So weird!!! So hopefully I will see them when I get back. We all went to Q bar really early so it was dead, this also meant we were there for happy hour, 10,000kip for a bucket! After a very drunken night I went to bed about 3am. Got up at 10 to meet Sophie and book the bus. I needed to try and eat something to make me feel better so forced down some yummy chicken fried rice and got some supplies for the 30hour bus journey. We booked the bus from Vang Vieng to Hanoi, but it stopped in Vientienne but all we had to do was switch busses. I had read so many horror stories about this bus and was dreading it all the way back in Luang Prabang in Laos. But I had someone to travel with for this bit. We got to the bus station and were on the first bus to Vientienne for about 5 hours. Then got off at some bus station then put on a mini bus.. bit confused as we thought we would get on the sleeper bus here. Then we got to another bus station and had 5 mins to use the loo and get on the sleeper. The toilets were AWFULL!! Why dosen't SE Asia believe in flushes. They are all just holes with a bin full of water which you are supposed to tip own to flush. Every time I see a normal toilet its like a dream! The toilet also had tons of spiders, was smelly and just yuk. horrid!!!

We got rushed onto the sleeper and all the westerners shoved to the back of the bus. It was fine because me, Alex (who I met in Bangkok), Sophie, 2 french guys and a girl from Isreal were together. The seats went right back so we could sleep. It wasnt totally comfy but it was better than being in a normal bus for that long. We all slept quite alot but one of the french guys snored so loud! We got to the Laos-Vietnam border about 1:30am and had to wait until it opened at 6am. So the engine was turned off and lights out and we all slept (or tried to because of the snorer) At 6 we were shouted at to get off the bus. No one helped us or told us what to do so we had to guess. Getting our passports stamped at the Laos border was so quick, it seemed to good to be true. We got out the building and saw our bus dive off and were slightly worried but carried on walking in the same direction as everyone else. Turns out we were walking to the Vietnam side,we had no idea what was going on and walked for about 5 mins so started to panic about what was going on. When there all our luggage was taken of the bus, but it was so we could put it through the scanners and the bus could be searched. We walked through, got our Visa stamped and luggage scanned then put it back on the bus and got back on ourselves. There was a little cafe and some 'toilets' nearby but after the worry about what was going on we decided it was safer to just get on the bus. Finally everyone got back on and we carried on for the next bit. We got to Hanoi about 7:30pm (not 5:30 like they lead you to believe). A man asked us if we wanted a mini bus and we went for it, we couldnt be bothered with bargaining with taxis as it was also raining quite a bit. Turns out its a scam here, they pretend to help you but they get commission for taking you to a hotel. He pretended he couldnt take us to the hostel we wanted as it was one way, which was not true. They stopped outside the hotel and tried their hardest to get us to stay but we knew we wanted Hanoi Backpackers. It was only about a minute walk from were they dropped us so we went, and the man didnt get his commission! haha! We chilled out that night then got up for a walking tour in the morning. It was really interesting and I learnt more about Hanoi than I would if I was doing it alone. Hanoi is a crazy city. The driving is mental, the scooters are annoying and the pavements are full of either streat vendors or parked scooters so you have no option but to walk on the insane roads! Adrian and the scottish boys arrived last night so we are meeting them when they are back from the walking tour and will go see the sights. I am going to Halong Bay tomorrow for 2days 1 night then working down the coast as fast as possible to ensure I have good time in Southern Thailand and Cambodia before my flight from Singapore in December.

I have met some amazing people now and whilst I am traveling alone, you are never actually alone. You see the same faces all the time and everyone is so friendly! I miss the 2 girls I met in Vang Vieng, they are doing Vietnam from the south upwards so we will probably see them half way. Sulvinder is also here but I will probably see her in the next place as she is at Halong Bay now and she will more than likely be gone by the time I get back from mine. I didnt book Halong Bay through the hostel as its so much more expensive. We got a good deal from a recomended tour person and got a good price. I would do 3 days but dont have the time. I am getting back from Halong Bay about 5 then getting a bus straight to Hue (I think). Luckily Sophie is on the same time scale so we can make sure we rush through together! :)

I am sooo excited to go and chill on a beach soon...I havent sunbathed or anything yet! So no tan...but the hair is slowly getting blonder..woooo!! Miss you all!!!! lots of loveeee xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx